Shooting device

ABSTRACT

A paintball marker ( 10 ) comprises a barrel ( 11 ), through which paintballs may be fired by a firing mechanism (not shown). A handle ( 12 ) is provided to allow a user to comfortably grip the marker ( 10 ) and a trigger ( 13 ) is provided, for activating the firing mechanism. A trigger guard ( 14 ) is also provided to help prevent accidental activation of the firing mechanism. A hopper ( 15 ) is also provided for loading the marker ( 10 ) with one or more paintballs. The marker ( 10 ) with one or more paintballs . The marker ( 10 ) is fitted with a switching means ( 20 ) operative to switch the marker ( 10 ) between two modes, a live mode in which the firing mechanism can be activated and a safe mode in which the firing mechanism cannot be activated. The device is switched between said modes in response to signals received by a signals receiving means from a remote source.

The present invention relates to a shooting device switchable between alive mode in which the shooting device may be fired and a safe mode inwhich the shooting device may not be fired and in particular to such ashooting device wherein the shooting device switches between live andsafe modes in response to remotely generated signals.

In a paintball game, players use paintball markers, typically styled toresemble firearms, to fire paint balls at their opponents. The paintballs are designed to burst on impact and thereby mark an opponent. Amarked opponent is usually out of the game, and has to leave the playingarea.

If the correct clothing and safety equipment is used including (fullface and ear protection goggles), and people adhere to safety ruleswhich they are informed of before play, then paintball is an enjoyablepastime with a very low risk of injury. However, if players do not wearsafety equipment as instructed, remove safety equipment during play orignore safely rules, then there is a risk of serious injury if playcontinues. For instance if a player were to remove their eye gogglesduring play and is subsequently hit in the eye by a paint ball, theycould quite easily be blinded. In order to reduce this danger, presentpaintball markers have manually actuated safety switches which preventthem being fired when the switch is placed in the safe position. Playersare instructed to put these switches into the “Safe” positionimmediately upon on hearing a signal ending the game.

Often, when a game is ended or stopped for any reason, some players mayhave a number of paintballs remaining and may for some reason be itexcitement, failure to hear the end of game signal or otherwise,continue to shoot. This is the most dangerous part of any paintballgame, because whilst these players continue to fire paint balls, otherplayers may have removed their eye goggles assuming the game hadfinished. Paintball game operators must therefore either trust all theirpatrons to stop shooting immediately at the end of a game, or they mustprovide marshals to either personally check and actuate the manualsafety switches on each individual marker or confiscate player's markersas quickly as possible at the end of a game.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a saferpaintball marker.

According to the present invention there is provided a shooting devicefor firing a projectile, having a live mode wherein the device is ableto fire a projectile and a safe mode wherein the device is unable tofire a projectile, wherein the device is switched between said live modeand said safe mode in response to signals received by a signal receivingmeans from a remote source.

In this manner, a paintball marker may be provided which can be switchedfrom live mode to safe mode remotely. This allows, for instance, apaintball game operator or marshal to switch some or all paintballmarkers in use in a game to safe mode instantaneously when necessary,thereby reducing the possibility of injuries to players if other playerscontinue to fire paintballs after the end of a game.

Preferably, the shooting device comprises a firing mechanism for firinga projectile, a barrel along which the projectile is fired, a handleprovided for a user to hold the device and a trigger which activates thefiring mechanism. The shooting device may additionally comprise amagazine adapted to store a number of projectiles and may furthercomprise means for automatically loading projectiles from the magazineinto the firing mechanism.

Preferably, the shooting device is a paintball marker and theprojectiles are paintballs, however the invention may additionally beadapted to switch other firearms between live and safe modes includingbut not limited to BB guns, shotguns, pistols and other handguns,machine guns, rifles, blank firing replica firearms, starter gunsincluding starting pistols and similar, and crossbows.

Preferably the switching between live and safe modes is carried out by aswitching means. Most preferably, the switching means is connected tothe signal receiving means and the switching between live and safe modestakes place in response to control signals output by the signalreceiving means.

Preferably, the signal receiving means is adapted to receive radiofrequency (RF) signals. Particularly preferred RF frequencies are 315MHz for use in the USA and 433 MHz for use throughout Europe. Otherfrequencies, for instance 816 MHz, may of course be used if desired ornecessary due to licensing requirements or otherwise. In particular twoor more different coded signals on the same frequency may be used if twopaintball games are to be operated in close proximity to each other.Preferably the signal receiving means comprises an aerial and aprocessing unit operable to process signals received by the aerial andthereby output suitable control signals to the switching means.

Preferably a manually activated safety switching means may also beprovided whereby the shooting device may be switched to safe modemanually, as well as remotely.

Preferably the switching means comprises an engaging element and alocking bar, the engaging element being spring biased and projectingtoward the back of the trigger such that it engages with the trigger ifa user attempts to pull the trigger and the locking bar being movablefrom a safety position wherein it locks the engaging element in positionand a live position wherein it does not lock the engaging element inposition. When the locking bar is in the live position, operation of thetrigger causes the engaging element to engage the trigger; butsufficient force applied to the trigger will overcome the spring bias ofthe engaging element and permit full operation of the trigger, thusallowing the marker to be fired. When the locking bar is in the safeposition, it locks the engaging element in position and prevents fulloperation of the trigger and thus prevents the marker from being fired.

In a preferred embodiment, the locking bar is moved by pivoting aboutone end, between a safe position and a live position: in the safeposition, the locking bar extends substantially parallel to andalongside the engaging element, the distal end of the locking barlocated such that it engages a sidearm of the engaging element, if thetrigger is pulled; in the live position the locking bar is pivoted awayfrom the engaging element, and is unable to engage the sidearm of theengaging element if the trigger is pulled. The movement of the lockingbar between said live and safe positions is preferably controlled bysignals output by said signal receiving means. Movement means arepreferably provided to move the locking bar in response to said signalsreceived by the signal receiving means. Preferably, the locking bar isspring biased such that it is maintained in the safe position unless aforce is applied.

The locking bar may be moved between said live and safe positions by anysuitable means however particularly preferred means of moving thelocking bar are a solenoid, a servomotor, an electro magnet, or a metalnanomuscle, wherein a nanomuscle is comprised of a single piece ormultiple layers of metal alloy operable to contract when an electriccurrent is passed therethrough. A particularly preferred metal alloy forthis purpose is that sold under the registered trade mark “FLEXINOL”.

In embodiments wherein the locking bar is moved by a solenoid,preferably the distal end of the locking bar is connected to a metallicrod or similar, said rod projecting into a solenoid such that when acurrent flows in the solenoid, the rod is drawn further into thesolenoid, thereby moving the locking bar from the safe position to thelive position. As the locking bar is spring biased, when no currentflows in the solenoid, the locking bar returns to the safe position.Alternatively, of course any other suitable electromagnet may be usedeither to move a rod or other metallic article connected to the lockingbar, or to move the locking bar itself directly.

In embodiments wherein the locking bar is moved by a servo-motor, theservo-motor is connected to the distal end of the locking bar by anysuitable means such that the servo-motor is operative to move thelocking bar from the safe position to the live position. As the lockingbar is spring biased, when the servo-motor is not operated, the lockingbar returns to the safe position.

In embodiments wherein the locking bar is moved by a nanomuscle, thenanomuscle is preferably attached to the distal end of the locking barby any suitable means and contracts when a current is passedtherethrough, thus moving the locking bar from the safe position to thelive position. As the locking bar is spring biased, when no currentflows through the nanomuscle, the locking bar returns to the safeposition.

In each of the above cases the engaging element, the locking bar and themovement means the locking bar are preferably located in the handle ofthe shooting device. Preferably, the movement means are located belowthe engaging element and locking bar within the handle and are operableto move the distal end of the locking bar from the safe position down into the live position.

In further alternative embodiments, it is of course possible to omit thelocking bar and to use one or other of the movement means describedabove to control the movement of the engaging element directly.

Preferably, a power source is incorporated into the shooting device inorder to provide power for the operation of the signal receiving meansand the switching means. The power source is preferably a battery andmost preferably a rechargeable battery.

Preferably, a visual indicator is provided which indicates whether theshooting device is in live mode or safe mode. In a preferred embodiment,the visual indicator is a tri-coloured light emitting diode (LED) onecolour of which is lit to indicate that the shooting device is in livemode, another colour being lit to indicate that the device is in safemode. Preferably the live mode is indicated by a green colour and thesafe mode is indicated by a red colour.

Alternatively and or additionally, other indications of the mode of theshooting device may be provided. For instance a liquid crystal display(LCD) may provide information on the current mode of the device alongwith other information including not limited to, current battery power,current game time and or game time remaining, number of projectilesremaining or similar. In further possible embodiments the device mayemit an audible signal indicating when the device switches between livemode and safe mode. The audible signal may be a tone, a repeating tone,a tone sequence, sampled speech or any other suitable audible signal.

Preferably, a control unit is provided operative to transmit an RFsignal to the shooting device from a remote location and thus cause theshooting device to switch between live mode and safe mode. Preferably,the control unit is a handset operable to switch the mode of anyshooting device within range of its signal. In alternative embodimentshowever the handset maybe adapted such that it addresses selectedindividual shooting devices and causes only the selected shootingdevices to switch between live mode and safe mode.

It is envisaged that such control units may be provided to enable thoserunning paintball games or other persons supervising the use of firearmsto remotely switch a number of paint ball markers or other firearmsbetween live and safe modes. In particular preferred embodiments, thecontrol units will be provided with at least two control buttons, thefirst button when actuated, switching the shooting devices to live modeand the second button when actuated switching the devices to safe mode.Alternative embodiments of the control unit may have further controlbuttons if desired.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the controlunit has four control buttons and is used in conjunction with paint ballmarkers adapted to emit a sampled speech signal when switched betweenlive mode and safe mode. In such an embodiment: actuation of the firstbutton switches markers to live mode and causes the markers to emit anaudible signal “game on” or similar; actuation of the second buttonswitches the markers to safe mode and causes the marker to emit anaudible signal “safety situation” or similar; actuation of the thirdbutton switches markers to live mode and causes the markers to emit anaudible signal “play on” or similar; and actuation of the fourth buttonswitches the markers to safe mode and causes the marker to emit anaudible signal “game over” or similar.

The particular details of any or all of the above embodiments of thepresent invention may of course be adapted to enable such remote modeswitching to be fitted to a wide variety of paintball markers and othershooting devices being of different sizes and having different layouts.

The foregoing has in general been directed to providing a mechanicalpaintball marker or shooting device which is remotely switchable betweena live mode and a safe mode, however the invention may additionally beadapted to fit electric paintball markers as described above.Alternatively, as electric markers are fired by pulling a trigger toactivate a solenoid to release the firing mechanism, the signalreceiving means may be directly connected to this control signal and maybe operative to control a relay to enable or disable its operation.

In order that the invention be more clearly understood embodiments ofthe invention will be described further herein, with reference to theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 a shows a paintball marker, switchable between a live mode and asafe mode according to the present invention;

FIG. 1 b is a more detailed view of the handle of the paintball markerof FIG. 1 a showing the means for receiving control signals andconsequently switching the paintball marker between live and safe modes;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic block diagram of the means for receivingcontrol signals and consequently switching the paintball marker betweenlive and safe modes;

FIG. 3 shows a control unit for transmitting control signals to switchthe paintball marker of FIGS. 1 & 2 between live and safe modes;

FIG. 4 a shows the relative positioning of an engaging element andlocking bar used to switch the marker between live and safe modes whenthe marker is in safe mode;

FIG. 4 b shows the relative positions of the engaging element and thelocking bar during live mode; and

FIG. 5 shows four different means, which may be used to move the lockingbar.

Referring now to figures 1 a and 1 b, a paintball marker 10 according tothe present invention is shown. The marker 10 comprises a barrel 11,through which paintballs may be fired by a firing mechanism (not shown).A handle 12 is provided to allow a user to comfortably grip the marker10 and a trigger 13 is provided, for activating the firing mechanism. Atrigger guard 14 is also provided to help prevent accidental activationof the firing mechanism. A hopper 15 is also provided for loading themarker 10 with one or more paintballs.

The marker 10 is fitted with a switching means 20 operative to switchthe marker 10 between two modes, a live mode in which the firingmechanism can be activated and a safe mode in which the firing mechanismcannot be activated. Referring now to FIG. 4, the switching means 20comprises an engaging element 23 which projects from the handle 12towards the trigger 13 and is movable towards and away from trigger 13,a locking bar 21 adapted to lock the engaging element 23 in a particularposition and movement means 22 for moving the locking bar 21. Theengaging element 23 is capable of sliding towards or away from thetrigger 13 within a suitable housing 29 provided in the handle 12. Theengaging element 23 is biased by a spring 25 such that if no externalforce is applied it projects from the handle 12 by a sufficient distancethat it engages the trigger 13, if a user pulls the trigger 13. Thelocking bar 21 is pivotable about one end and may be moved by themovement means 22 from a safe position wherein it is located alongsidethe engaging element 23 to a live position wherein the distal end 27 ofthe locking bar 21 is pivoted away from the engaging element 23 inresponse to a force applied by the movement means 22. A biasing spring26 is further provided which acts to retain the locking bar 21 in thesafe position except when force is applied to the bar 21 by the movementmeans 22. The distal end 27 of the locking bar 21 is adapted to abut asidearm 28 projecting from the engaging element 23.

In safe mode the locking bar 21 is in the position shown in FIG. 4 a andthus if the trigger 13 is pulled, the locking bar 21 prevents theengaging element 23 sliding within the housing 29 thereby blocking themovement of the trigger 13 and preventing activation of the firingmechanism. When the marker 10 is switched to live mode however, themovement means 22 exerts a force on the locking bar 21 causing it topivot into the position shown in FIG. 4 b, if the trigger 13 is pullednow, the engaging element 23 slides within the housing 29 and spring 25deforms allowing the firing mechanism to be activated.

The movement means 22 may be provided by any suitable means with foursuitable embodiments shown in FIG. 5. In FIG. 5 a, a FLEXINOL nanomuscle51 is connected to the locking bar 21, the nanomuscle 51 contractingwhen an electric current is passed therethrough, thereby providing thenecessary force to move the locking bar 21. In figure 5 b, a one end ofa metallic rod 52 is connected to the locking bar 21, the other end ofthe rod 52 projecting into the core of a solenoid 53. When a currentflows in the solenoid 53, the rod 52 is drawn into the core of thesolenoid 53 and thus provides the necessary force to move the lockingbar 21 from the safe to the live position. Alternatively, as is shown infigure 5 d, any suitable metallic article 58 may be connected to thelocking bar 21 and be used in conjunction with an electromagnet 57 toprovide the force necessary to move the locking bar 21. In FIG. 5 c, thelocking bar 21 is connected to one end of a rod 55 threaded onto thedrive shaft 56 of a servomotor 54. When a suitable current is suppliedto the servomotor 54 the drive shaft 56 rotates and consequently movesthe rod 55, thereby providing the necessary force to move the lockingbar 21.

In each of the above cases, current flowing in the movement means 22thus equates with live mode and no current flowing in the movement means22 equates with safe mode. In each of these cases, once the current isswitched off, the locking bar 21 returns to the safe position under theinfluence of the biasing spring 26 This has the advantage that if thecurrent supply fails the switching means 20 defaults to safe mode.

The marker 10 is switched between live and safe modes remotely by use ofradio frequency (RF) signals. A signal receiving means 40 comprising anRF aerial 41 and a processing unit 42 is provided in the marker 10 toreceive such signals. The processing unit 42 processes the signalsreceived from the aerial 41. As is shown in FIG. 2, the processing means42 is connected to the movement means 22 and is adapted to control thesupply of current to the movement means 22 thereby controlling whetherthe marker 10 is in live or safe mode in response to the signalsreceived. In some embodiments, a manually actuated switch mayadditionally be provided for switching the marker 10 between live andsafe modes. In these cases however the processing unit 42 may overridethe manual switch if particular RF signals are received.

The processing unit 42 may in some embodiments be connected toindication means 16, 17 to provide a visual or aural indication of themode the marker 10 is in or a visual or aural indication that the marker10 has switched from one mode to the other mode. In particular, thevisual indication may be provided by a tri-coloured light emitting diode(LED) 17, the LED being coloured red to indicate safe mode and green toindicate live mode. A loudspeaker 16 or other suitable audio signalgenerator may additionally or alternatively be provided in the marker 10to generate an audible warning that the marker 10 has changed from onemode to another. The audible warning may be a tone or tone sequence orin preferred embodiments is a speech sample such as “marker live” orsimilar.

A power source 18 is also provided in the marker 10 to power the signalreceiving means 40, indication means 16, 17 and the movement means 22.Typically the power source 18 is a rechargeable battery.

A paintball marker 10 of this type is suitable for improving the safetyof paintball games. Players may be each provided with a marker 10 ofthis type and instructed in its use before proceeding to the playingarea. At this time each player's marker 10 will be in safe mode. At apredetermined signal from a marshal play will commence. Along withsignaling the start of play, the marshal will transmit an RF controlsignal switching all the markers 10 to live mode. The players may thenplay as normal. At the end of the game or if the game needs to bestopped for any other reason the marshal can use a predetermined signalto stop the game and additionally transmit an RF control signal to themarkers 10 which switches all of the markers 10 to safe mode. Thisprevents any players firing when the game has ended or is paused for anyreason.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a control unit 30 is shown which a marshal mayuse to transmit control signals to one or more markers 10. The controlunit 30 comprises an RF transmitting aerial 31, control buttons 32-35,and additionally suitable transmitting, processing, and controlcircuitry (not shown) is provided within the control unit 30.

In a preferred embodiment, the marshal starts a game by use of a bell,whistle, siren or other suitable signal to the players and pressescontrol button 32 which causes the control unit 30 to transmit a controlsignal to each marker 10, switching all the markers 10 to live mode.Each marker 10 may indicate this to the player by playing a recordedspeech sample of “game on” or similar, and or turning the tri colouredLED 17 to green.

To end the game the marshal uses a prearranged end signal to the playersand presses control button 33 causing the control unit 30 to transmit acontrol signal switching each marker 10 to safe mode. Each marker 10 mayindicate this to the player by playing a recorded speech sample of “gameover” or similar, and or turning the tri coloured LED 17 to red.

If during a game a safety or other incident occurs requiring the game tobe stopped immediately, the marshal can pause the game using aprearranged signal to the players and pressing control button 34 causingthe control unit 30 to transmit a control signal switching each marker10 to safe mode. Each marker 10 may indicate this to the player byplaying a recorded speech sample of “safety situation” or similar, andor turning the tri coloured LED 17 to red. The markers 10 may continueto play the recorded speech sample at regular intervals until themarshal has investigated the incident and decided whether the game cansafely be resumed or not. If the game cannot be safely resumed themarshal ends the game as described previously by using the prearrangedsignal and pressing control button 33. If however the game may be safelyresumed the marshal indicates this by using a prearranged signal andpressing control button 35 causing control unit 30 to transmit a controlsignal to each marker 10, switching all the markers 10 to live mode.Each marker 10 may indicate this to the player by playing a recordedspeech sample of “play on” or similar, and or turning the tri colouredLED 17 to green.

It is of course possible to provide such a control unit 30 with controlbuttons 32 and 35 only if desired. Either this control unit 30 or anysimilar control unit with more or less buttons may be used, and markersthat do not have indication means or only use simple visual or tonalindication means if desired.

In other embodiments of the invention, the processing unit 42 in eachmarker 10 may be programmed with a unique identification (code) number.This would allow a marshal to switch particular markers 10 to safe modeindividually if necessary.

In a further embodiment of the invention, safe areas are provided nearthe paintball playing area for reloading markers 10, resting, or waitingfor particular games to finish etc. In such safety areas a low powerautomatic RF transmitter may be provided, typically at the center of thesafety zone and having a range which substantially covers the safetyzone but no further. Such a transmitter unit transmits a control signalat regular intervals switching all markers 10 within its range to safemode. The markers 10 may indicate this by playing a recorded speechsample “safety area” or similar. Typically when the marker 10 passesthrough a predetermined area leading back to the playing area the marker10 may be allowed to revert to live mode again and indicate this byplaying a recorded speech sample “game on” or similar.

The above described technology may additionally be used on firingranges. A control unit 30 can be used by a firing range superintendentto activate or make safe any firearms in use on the range as thesituation demands. A transmitter unit may also be provided by an exit ofthe firing range to switch all firearms leaving the range toautomatically switch to safe mode.

It is of course to be understood that the invention is not intended tobe restricted to the details of the above embodiment which is describedby way of example only. In particular it should be understood that theinvention has been described mainly in relation to paintball markers butthe invention may of course be adapted to other types of firearm.

1.-54. (canceled)
 55. A shooting device for firing a projectile, thedevice having a live mode wherein the device is able to fire aprojectile and a safe mode wherein the device is temporarily inhibitedform being able to fire a projectile, the device comprising signalreceiving means and means for switching the device between the live andsafe modes, in which the switching means and the signal receiving meansare configured to enable the device to be switched from the live mode tothe safe mode and from the safe mode to the live mode in response tosignals received by the signal receiving means from a remote source. 56.A shooting device as claimed in claim 55, wherein the switching means isconnected to the signal receiving means and the switching between liveand safe modes takes place in response to control signals outputted bythe signal receiving means in response to the signals from the remotesource.
 57. A shooting device as claimed in claim 55, wherein the signalreceiving means is adapted to receive radio frequency (RF) signals. 58.A shooting device as claimed in claim 57, wherein the frequency of theRF signals are 315 MHz; 433 MHz; or 816 MHz,
 59. A shooting device asclaimed in claim 57, wherein two or more different coded signals on thesame RF frequency are used.
 60. A shooting device as claimed in claim56, wherein the signal receiving means comprises an aerial and aprocessing unit, the processing unit operable to process signalsreceived by the aerial and thereby output suitable control signals tothe switching means.
 61. A shooting device as claimed in claim 55wherein: the switching means comprises an engaging element and a lockingbar, the engaging element being spring biased and projecting toward theback of the trigger such that it engages with the trigger if a userattempts to pull the trigger and the locking bar being movable from asafe position wherein it locks the engaging element in position and alive position wherein it does not lock the engaging element in position,such that when the locking bar is in the live position, operation of thetrigger causes the engaging element to engage the trigger; sufficientforce applied to the trigger overcomes the spring bias of the engagingelement and permits full operation of the trigger, and when the lockingbar is in the safe position, it locks the engaging element in positionand prevents full operation of the trigger.
 62. A shooting device asclaimed in claim 61, wherein movement means are provided to move thelocking bar between said live and said safe positions in response tosignals outputted by said signal receiving means.
 63. A shooting deviceas claimed in claim 62, wherein the locking bar is spring biased suchthat it is maintained in the safe position unless a force is applied bythe movement means.
 64. A shooting device as claimed in claim 62,wherein the locking bar is moved between said live and safe positions bya solenoid.
 65. A shooting device as claimed in claim 64, wherein thedistal end of the locking bar is connected to a metallic rod or similar,said rod projecting into a solenoid such that when a current flows inthe solenoid, the rod is drawn further into the solenoid, thereby movingthe locking bar from the safe position to the live position.
 66. Ashooting device as claimed in claim 61 wherein a power source isincorporated into the shooting
 67. A shooting device as claimed in claim55, wherein the shooting device is a paintball marker and theprojectiles are paintballs.
 68. A shooting device as claimed in claim67, wherein the shooting device is a mechanical paintball marker.
 69. Ashooting device as claimed in claim 67, wherein the shooting device isan electric paintball marker.
 70. A system comprising: a shooting devicefor firing a projectile and a remote control unit, said shooting devicehaving a live mode wherein the device is able to fire a projectile and asafe mode wherein the device is temporarily inhibited from being able tofire a projectile; said shooting device comprises control meansincluding means for receiving a signal from the remote control unit; andsaid control means being configured to switch the device between thelive and safe modes on receipt by the signal receiving means of a signalfrom the remote control unit wherein the remote control unit is operableby someone other than the user of the shooting device to cause thecontrol unit to transmit a signal to switch the shooting device betweenthe live and safe modes.
 71. A system as claimed in claim 70, saidsystem comprises a plurality of said shooting devices, the system beingconfigured such that all active shooting devices of the system withinrange of the remote control unit are switched between live and safemodes on transmission of a signal from the remote control unit.
 72. Asystem as claimed in claim 70, said system comprising a plurality ofsaid shooting devices, in which the signal transmitted by the remotecontrol unit is addressed to selected individual shooting devices in thesystem such that only the selected shooting devices of the system withinrange are switched between live and safe modes on transmission of asignal from the remote control unit.
 73. A method of remotelycontrolling the use of a shooting device, said method comprising thesteps of: providing a shooting device having a live mode wherein it isable to fire a projectile and a safe mode wherein it is temporarilyinhibited from firing a projectile; providing a control means withinsaid shooting device including means for receiving a signal from aremote control unit, said control means being arranged to switch thedevice between live and safe modes in response to receipt by the signalreceiving means of signals form the remote control unit; providing saidremote control unit with a transmitter, the remote control unit beingselectively operable to transmit a signal to switch the shooting deviceeither from the safe mode to the live mode or from the live mode to thesafe mode; and actuating the remote control unit to cause the remotecontrol unit to transmit a signal to switch said at least one shootingdevice either form the safe mode to the live mode to enable the shootingdevice to be used or from the live mode to the safe mode to prevent theshooting device from being used.
 74. The method as recited in claim 73,wherein said method comprises the step of enabling said remote controlunit to be operated by a person other than the user of the shootingdevice.